New York (43)

When working on the flight, be sure not to share your company's confidential information with your neighbours. This is perhaps more of an issue in conventional business class arrangements such as AA or United rather than the head-to-toe format used by BA. Privacy screens can be installed on your laptop screen to ensure thoses sitting next to you can't sneak a peek at your screen. After all, after the nth re-run of movie classics and 'two and a half men' on the entertainment system, your fellow passengers may find your computer more interesting! You can order screens online or you can pick on up at most computer/office supply stores.

A quick search on Google finds: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/05/26/review_3m_laptop_privacy_filter/A 3M filter from just GBP28

The days of stepping on Concorde and arriving in New York before you took off are sadly gone. However, what isn't realised is that the same trip from London to New York can vary quite dramatically depending on the flight you take. Take a random weekday date in June. The fastest journey time from London Heathrow to New York JFK is 7hr 25mins with either Air India or the 0855 from BA. However, it's worth noting flights to Newark are somewhat slower, with the flights being as long as 8hr 15mins with BA (1840). Whilst it's unlikely to make a huge different, those of us on tight time schedules may give it some thought.

New York City is THE city, it's got its reputation and it's always the one place I'm excited about visiting when being sent on a business trip there. Every visit is different and the city is constantly changing, there is so much to do and see that it makes you want to cancel your meetings!

It's one of those cities that on your first visit can be pretty daunting, so I thought I'd pop together a couple of tips that can help you on your first visit.

Leaving or Departing the City
JFK is normally my airport of choice but there's really not much in it. The easiest way into the city is to jump in a yellow cab, it costs a $45 flat rate, plus tips and tolls. Upon making your way to the taxi line you'll be offered all sorts of bus and limo services, ignore them, it's only the cabs that are properly licenced for this. You can of course also book your own car, I do this for the return back to the airport using Dial 7 who charge a decent rate and use fairly new sedans.

Accommodation
New York has so many hotels, so find one that's close to where you're going to be based. I normally use The London, which is well located on West 54th street, not far from the park and Times Square. It's a lovely new hotel with one of the best concierges in town. It's also home to Gordon Ramsey's restaurant, which is perfect for that dinner on expenses... But if you're paying yourself, go at lunch time, same food, half the price. Yum yum.

Foodies
You could write a book on the places to eat in New York… in fact, hundreds of books are already out there, but for my money the top places for a business lunch or dinner are: Gordon Ramsey at The London, The River Café in Brooklyn, Prune for Brunch in The East Village and The Spotted Pig in the West Village. The Spotted Pig is probably the best Gastro Pub in New York, and a perfect places for fans of meat! The River Café has a simple but beautiful menu and offers incredible views over the river to downtown NYC… ask for a window table. Gordon Ramsey I've mentioned above and Prune is a delightful little local place that does THE best brunch in the city in my view... Complete with a huge menu of Bloody Marys. Get there early though or be prepared to wait an hour or so. Just down the road from Prune is Katz Deli which is always rammed and a classic NY food experience - give it a go.

Off Time
If you're not too busy then why not pick up a jogging map from your hotel concierge and take a run round the park to stay in shape. I also love going to the Top Of The Rock at the Rockefeller Building, giving you stunning views of the city and especially usefully in getting to know it in your head if you’re a first time visitor. You can see where everything is and get a rough idea of distances. 5th Avenue is probably your best place for shopping with plenty of places to visit, including the maddening Abercrombie and Fitch which will give you a headache. But you can get your stuff much cheaper from there than in the UK. Department store-wise I find Bloomingdales always serves me best. Don't forget to go shopping in the village as well, Spring Street has some classic locations where you can find the most random of things. If you get a chance to see a Broadway show, rock up to the TKTS half price booth in Times Square and get into a show on the cheap. Spring Awakening seems to be one of the best shows on at the moment. And if you're there on a Friday you can pop into many of the big museums for free, MoMA being a great one to kill a few hours in.

The best thing about New York is that there is always something new, and it's the one place I've never got bored in despite many business trips. So make the most of it.

Junior's in Brookyln, New York (Corner of Flatbush Avenue Extension and DeKalb Avenue) is home to the original 'New York Style' cheesecake. Famous worldwide, if you are in the area, it's definitely worth a visit. After all, where better to get New York style cheesecake than in New York!

Don't automatically assume that you have to fly from Heathrow to get long-haul. Look at your alternatives, including the very handy London City Airport or the further away (but sometimes more convenient) Stansted or Luton Airports. Dedicated business-class-only flights to New York can now be had from SilverJet (the only such airline still around) out of their Luton base. BA have also excitingly announced an all-busines-class flight to New York from London City. Starting in 09, it will stop for operational reasons in Ireland but passengers can take this time to check through US immigration (due to an age-old agreement between Ireland and the US), saving valuable time when landing.

One of the biggest banes of travelling for business is that your shirts end up looking like they've been through the proverbial hedge backwards. Two handy tips to solve this problem are:

a) Try and roll up your shirt when packing. This removes the number of folds that can create creases

b) Hang up your shirt in the bathroom whilst you have a shower. The steam should help reduce any small creases (depending on how steamy you get the room!)

Recent airline failures such as Eos and MaxJet serve to remind us that cyclical industries such as airlines are subject to huge pressures when a slowdown in the economy occurs. Make sure you protect yourself from being caught short by paying by credit (not debit) card. Airline failures should be covered under section 75 of the 1974 consumer credit act and thus a refund can be obtained for services not received.

Here are a few vegetarian restaurants in Manhattan that I've found worth the visit. Hangawi is a rather upmarket Korean restaurant serving only vegetarian food. The 'Emperor's Feast' is $35/person, but worth every penny (sorry, cent). The Chennai Garden is a vegetarian Indian restaurant specialising in South Indian food. I've taken numerous non-veggies there and no-one has ever complained. Good value for money, too.

Candle Cafe is a mostly vegan bistro on the Upper East Side. Very reasonably priced, although it can get crowded. Great veggie burgers and sandwiches.

A little hidden gem in Greenwich Village is Prune, a cosy neighbourhood restaurant that does the best brunch in New York, perfect for a Sunday morning in the city (yes some of us go there at weekends for business as well!) I've taken clients to this place a few times, and they're always impressed, as it feels like you really know the area, and feels like a real part of New York. It does get VERY busy for Sunday brunch so the earlier the better (I've arrived there before at midday on a Sunday to be told it was a 2 hour wait) - the wait however is worth it. This tiny little restaurant has a huge list of bloody marys and a delightful selection of brunch items which'll knock your socks off. I'm a big fan of their pear pancake. A little New York experience which may be small in stature but is huge on taste.

One of the amazing things about New York is that the city is so iconic, yes it's the old cliché - we've all been there 100 times before in films and movies. The best way to appreciate the city is from a high vantage point, so if you've got an hour or so spare, then a trip up to the Top Of The Rock is great. At the top of the Rockafeller Centre you get the most stunning view of the city, without the madness and crowds and tacky tourist nature of the Empire State Building and fantastically you also get an amazing view of that most iconic building in Manhattan. You reserve your time to go up, meaning it's never too crowded, and after the most amazing lift ride to the roof (I won't spoil the surprise) you're treated to jaw-dropping views, with only full-length glass walls stopping you from falling off. You can stay up for as long as you want, and really get a sense of the city. It never fails to inspire me, and make me feel thankful that I get to travel to New York on business. If you want a similar view without doing the tourist thing, enjoy a meal or drink at the Rainbow Rooms which is just below the Top Of The Rock part of the building. A quick trip to the skies to sample that movie set view will bring you back down to work with a bump, but make you appreciate that you're in the Big Apple, one of the most exciting cities in the world.